Taking oral contraceptives places certain women at an increased risk of developing respiratory disorders such as asthma, a study finds.

According to a study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, some women who use oral contraceptive pills (OCPs) are 42 percent more prone to asthma,

Body mass index (BMI) is considered an important factor influencing the asthma risk in these individuals; the asthma rate increases as BMI goes up.

Scientists believe the health risks of unwanted pregnancies outweigh those of the slightly elevated asthma risk in women on OCP.

They therefore urge physicians to prescribe anti-asthmatic treatment or change the pill to other forms of contraceptives when they consider the pill to be the main culprit for the condition.

PKH/HGH